The ability to create an attractive gambling market is key to achieving good channeling rates in Austria, according to the Secretary General of the Austrian Association for Betting and Gambling (OVWG), Raffaela Zillner.

Speaking at this year’s Betting on Sports conference in London, Zillner addressed some of the steps that the Austrian gambling market needs to take in order to establish a sustainable regulatory system, and whether the proposed regulatory changes in Germany will be effective.

Zillner outlined a number of key areas that the key decision makers in Austria must consider if they want to implement a sustainable regulatory model. She explained: “The most important thing in my daily business is to introduce regulatory models to the Austrian decision makers, which includes regulators, politicians, and stakeholders which has succeeded in achieving high channeling rates.

“I introduced the Danish regulatory system to the regulator, and I found out that a lot of politicians are interested in digitalisation and are very keen to implement sustainable regulation for the Austrian market.

“For me, we need new regulation in Austria which is based upon the following criteria: Abolish the Austrian gambling monopoly on online gambling; establish new sports betting regulation which moves away from the federal state regulation and more towards a nation-wide regulation; fair taxation of the industry; and what is also very important is that we need the option to offer products which are competitive and attractive.

“If we don’t succeed in having a market which is attractive, then there won’t be good channeling rates in Austria.”

Addressing some of the proposed regulatory changes in Germany, Zillner pointed out that legislators must consider the ‘missing’ regulation of the online casino sector, while also suggesting that attention is shifting towards the Scandinavian region.

She continued: “Although Austria tends to look towards Germany more often, I think that in this situation, this is not the best idea. I think that the German regulation doesn’t look too successful, as there are several things that don’t look very good such as the online casino regulation that is still missing.

“I think that Germany hasn’t understood that a sustainable regulation for the online sector also requires regulation for online casino, and the possibility to offer products that are attractive. For now, I would try to turn the attention of the stakeholders in Austria not towards Germany, but towards the Scandinavian countries, such as Denmark.”